Container for match-packages.



ILHEAD. CONTAINER FOR MATCH PACKAGES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29' 19M.

1 ,1 90,288. v v Patented July 11,1916.

, a Y a I.

WITNESSES v INVENTOR f 3 R0bert Hafl v rinrrnn STATES PATENT orrron.

BOBERT'HEAD, on NEW YORK, v. Y., ASSIGNQR To SAMUEL LAUTENBACH, or NEW YORK, N. Y.

CONTAINER FOR MATCH-PACKAGES.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, ROBERT HEAD, a c1t1- Zen of the United States, residing at the city of New York, borough of Manhattan, county and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Container for Match-Packages, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is a container or box for a package of matches, the latter usually comprising one or more rows of match splints and a base member provided with a str kingsurface whereby the matches may be individually detached from or torn off the base member and thereafter ignited by contact with said striking surface.

According to this invention the box or container provides for such exposure and accessibility of the match package as to allow the removal of the matches individually and the striking thereof without interference by the container or any part thereof, while at the same time the package is gripped securely by an integral part of said container so that it cannot become displaced. by the pull necessarily exerted on the individual match in detaching it from the base member. Furthermore, the match package is readily inserted into the gripping means, and, again, the base member left afterremoval ofthe matches, can be pulled out so as to permit the insertion of a fresh package. Furthermore, the container embodies two parts only, each part comprising a sin gle stamping complete and ready for assemblage without resorting to the use of a separate pivot pin or hinge pintle, thus securing economy of manufacture and simplicity of construction. 7

The salient feature of the invention is a container the cover of which is provided with means for holding a match package so that upon opening the container said match package is withdrawn from the container by the simple act of opening said cover, thus enabling the user to obtain free and unobstructed access to the match package for the purpose of detaching the matches and of igniting them by contact with the striking surface, such operations being performed freely and without obstruction from any part of the container for the reason that the match package occupies an exposed position outside of the container and all parts ofthe exposed match packages are held or gripped Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 11, 1916.

firmly exteriorly to the body member of said container. A

Anotherimportant feature of the invention is a two-piece construction of the contain'er whereby a separate pivot pin or hinge pintle is omitted.v The body member compr ses a back piece and two side walls, the latter being provided With integral trunhions, whereas the cover is'a single fiat piece one end of which isrolled or curled to produce member performing two functions; first, it serves as a gripping or retaining means for the match package, and, second, it receives the trunnions in order to provide a hinge connection for the cover member to the'body member. The two parts are stamped from sheet metal and assembled by fitting the trunnions in the rolled or curled member, thusdispensing with a separate pin for pivotally connecting the cover to the body member. y

It should be stated that the cover member and the back of the body member are rounded at one end so as to meet and form one end wall of the container, the other and wall of which is formed by the curled flange.

Further, said curled flange of the cover niember is provided with clips formed by tongues integral with said curled flange, said clips and curled flange cooperating to produce an eflicient means for frictionally gripping the base portion of the match package,

Other features and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed description. 1

In the drawings, Figures 1 and 2 are plan views of the different blanks adapted to" be bent or folded so as to producethe body member and the cover member, respectively, of the container or box. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the blank shown in Fig. 1 fold-. ed to produce the body member. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the b'lankshown in Fig. 2 folded to produce the cover member. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the members of tainer, the latter being shown in a closed position; Fig. 6 'is-a longitudinal section through the container with the cover in an open position, the dotted lines illustrating a match package gripped in the pivotal part of the closure member so that the match paeka ejwiu partake of the turning movemerit of said closure member. Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section of the container with ltll Figs. 3 and 4 assembled to produce the conthe closure member closed, the dotted lines illustrating the match package incased within the container.

The blank A of Fig. 1 is stamped from a single piece of material, preferably sheet metal of any suitable character. The blank is provided with side wings a and at'the corners notches b are cut in the material of the blank, said side wings a being foldable on the dotted line a. The wings a are adapted to be bent to a position at right angles with the back piece 0, thus producing walls a parallel to each other. The end portion of the blank is turned or folded into lapping relation with the end edges of the side walls, or said portion may be positioned between the end edges of the side walls. The body member of the container shown in Fig. 3 is thus composed of the one-piece blank illustrated in Fig. 1, said body member comprising a. back piece 0, parallel side walls a and a turned-up flange (Z forming a part of one end wall. Said body member is provided, also, with trunnions e, the latter being pressed out of the metal of the s1de walls a, said trunnions being integral with the side walls and extending inwardly therefrom or toward each other, the trunnions being at one end portion of the body member.

The blank B illustrated in Fig. 2 consists of a single stamping, one end portion of which is somewhat narrower than the body portion of the blank so as to form the shoulders f. It is preferred to provide the blank at its narrower end with tongues g, the latter being spaced along an end edge of the blank and extending outwardly from the narrow portion thereof. The blank of Fig. 2 is curled or rolled at the narrow end thereof so as to produce the member C, and the tongues g are bent or folded within said curled member C, producing clips D. The other end of the blank is curved at h similarly to the curved end cl of the body member, and said curved ends cl h are provided with the pressed metal portions c' so as to form a lock or catch for the meeting ends of the body member and the cover. member,

as shown more particularly in Fig. 7.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that one member of the box is provided with trunnions whereas the other member is provided with a curled member C adapted to receive the trunnions whereby the cover member has a pivotal connection with the body member so that the cover member is adapted to be folded outwardly away from the body and into substantial alinement therewith, as in Fig. 6. The two membersresulting from the bending of the blanks A B shown in Figs. 1 and 2 are operatively connected by snapping the trunnions of one member into the curled flange of the other member, the side walls a of the body member being yieldable sufficiently for the trunnions of the body member to enter the end portions of the curled flange on the cover member, said side walls being pressed toward each other so as to restore them to their desired parallel relation and to retain the trunnions in frictional engagement with the curled flange C of the cover member. It is apparent that the two-piece box may thus be easily and quickly assembled, and, further, that a separate pin or hinge pintle is not required for the purpose of pivot-ally attaching the cover member to the body member, thus simplifying the construction and securing economy in the manufacture of the container, for the reason that it is not necessary to employ skilled labor in placing the pin in eyes of the cover and the body to pivotally attach said cover to said body. In short, the container of my invention is made by stamping two pieces of metal and assembling the stamped pieces, thus minimizing the labor and material and resulting in very great economy. Furthermore, it is apparent that the back piece of the body member and the metal. of the cover member are merely flat pieces of metal; this enables any desired advertising matter to be embossed, printed, or otherwise impressed on the metal of the container for the purpose of utilizing said container as an advertising medium. Again, it is apparent that any suitable material possessing the required stiflness and rigidity may be employed in the manufacture of the container; accordingly, I do not desire to restrict the invention to a sheet metal box.

When it is desired to insert a match pack age or comb, the cover member is opened to any desired extent, the curled flange G turning around the trunnions 6; said cover member may be turned to a Wide open position, as in Fig. 6, wherein the cover member is in alinement with the body member A. The base piece of the match comb or package is thrust into the space of the curled flange C and within the clips D, the latter being yieldable or of a springy nature in order that they will grip said base member of the match package or comb. The match package lies within the edges of the cover member B and it is connected by the clips D with the curled flange or member C of said cover member, said clips D engaging the match package with a sufficient grip to effectively retain said'match package in position on the cover member. Then it is desired to close the container the cover member is turned over the body member until the curved flange h of the cover member meets the corresponding flange (Z of the body member, whereupon the catch or fastening of the cover interlocks with the corresponding part of the body so as to retain the cover in a closed position relative to said body. The

match package or comb is thus incased with I with the curled flange C and clips in the body and the cover, the package being held on the curled flange C of the cover. The container is characterized by parallel walls at the sides and by a back piece parallel to the cover, the ends of the container being rounded so as to present the symmetrical appearance of Fig. 5. The container is thus of uniform depth throughout its length and width, but at the same time the match package is thoroughly housed or incased within the container, the latter having the desired attractive appearance.

It is apparent that the cover may be turned to the opened position, and in opening the cover the flange C and the clips D retain the match package connected with the cover. The match package is thus turned to an exposed position by opening the cover, and as said package with the ignition strip thereof is fully exposed to view, the operator can easily and quickly detach one or more matches from the base of the match package. This removal of the match or matches takes place without any obstruction or hindrance by the walls of the body member, it being readily understood that the entire match package is exposed by the act of opening the cover. Furthermore, the ignition strip of the match package is fully exposed outside of the clips, and the gripping member, and thus a detached match can be ignited by drawing the head thereof along and in contact with said ignition strip. The flare of the lighted match head will not come in contact with any part of the container so as to smut or soil the surface of the container, and this is particularly desirable when the container is composed of expensive metal. Furthermore, when the cover is opened and all the matches are detached from the base piece of the package, said base piece can be easily slipped out of position or withdrawn from engagement D, thus allowing the remnant of a used package to be easily displaced and a fresh match package to be inserted into the retaining means of the container.

Although I have shown and described the container as especially adapted for use in connection with match packages, it is apparent that articles other than matches may be incased within the container or box.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A container embodying a body member comprising a back, sides and an end, said body member being open at one end and at the top, a cover member provided at one end with means for closing the open end of the body member, means unitary with the body member and means unitary with the cover member for hingedly connecting the two said members independently of a pivotal pin, and gripping means unitary with said cover member for retaining a match package fixedly in position against the inner face of said cover member, whereby an attached match package is'adapted to be withdrawn from the body member upon opening the container.

2. A container comprising a body member, a cover member hinged to said body memher, said cover member being provided with a curled flange which produces a space internally of said flange into which is adapted to be inserted the edge portion of a match package, the edge of said curled member being positioned for contact with one face of said match package, and gripping means positioned in opposing .relation to said edge of the curled flange and cooperating therewith in retaining a match package in fixed relation to said cover member.

3. A two-part container of the class described one part having trunnions andthe other provided with a curled member which receives said trunnions for pivotally connecting the two said parts independently of a separate pivotal pin, said curled member being provided with means for retaining a match package in fixed position against one face of the container part of which said curled member forms a part thereof.

4. A. two-part container of the class described each part of which is composed of'a single piece of material, one of said parts being provided with side walls and trunnions projecting inwardly from said side walls, the other part being provided with a curled member positioned to receive said trunnions and to pivotally connect the two said parts, said curled member being provided with means for retaining a match package ina fixed position on one of said parts and at the pivotal connection between the two said parts.

5. A two-part container of the class described embodying a body member and a cover member each composed of a single piece of material, said body member having side walls and trunnions extending inwardly from the side walls, and said cover member having one end portion thereof curled upon itself for receiving said trunnions, thereby pivotally connecting the cover member to said body member.

6. A container comprising a box member, a substantially flat cover member, a trunnion unitary with one of said members, a trunnion-receiving part unitary with the other member, said trunnion of one mem ber and the trunnion-receiving part of the other member being in frictional contact for hingedly connecting the two said members independently of a separate pivotal pin, and gripping means unitary with one of said members, said grippingmeans being positioned at the hinged connection between said members and adapted to retain a match package in fixed relation to the cover member.

7. A container comprising a box member, a cover member hinged to said box member, and gripping means positioned about the axis of the hinged connection intermediate said members, said gripping means being rotatable on an axis substantially coincident with the axis of movement of the cover member.

8. A container comprising a body member, a cover member, trunnions unitary with the body member, said trunnions extending inwardly with respect to said body member, a hinge member unitary with the cover member; said hinge member forming a space within which the trunnions are rotatably positioned so as to hingedly connect the two said members independently of a pivotal pin, and package-retaining means carried by the cover member, said packageretaining means being rotatable on an axis substantially coincident with the axis of movement of the cover member.

9. A container for matches and other articles embodying a box part and a cover part, one of said parts having a curled member and the other part provided with trunnions fitted rotatably in said curledmember, said cover part provided with clips operating to frictionally retain the match package or article in fixed relation to 'said cover part.

10. A container embodying a box member comprising a back, side walls and an end wall, the top and one end of said box member being substantially open, a cover member one end portion of which is curved, said cover member being positioned to close the open top and the curved portion of which closes the open end of said box member, and trunnions unitary with the side walls of the box member and extending inwardly with respect thereto, said trunnions being rotatably fitted Within the curved portion of the cover member and cooperating therewith in hingedly connecting the two said members independently of a separate pivotal pin.

11. A container for match packages embodying a box member open at the top and at one end and comprising a back, side Walls and an end wall, and a cover member provided at one end with a curled flange positioned to form a closure for said open end of the box member, said box member being provided. with integral trunnions and said curled flange being open at the end portions thereof wherein said trunnions are rotatably fitted for hingedly connecting the two said members independently of a separate pivotal pin.

12. A container for match packages embodying a box member open at the top and at one end and comprising a back, side walls and an end wall, a cover member one end part of which is extended to form a closure for said open end of the box member, the side walls of said box member being provided with inwardly extended trunnions which are rotatably fitted in the extended end part of the cover member to hingedly connect said two members independently of a separate pivotal pin, ,said extended end part of the cover member being provided with friction grips whereby a match package may be attached to the cover member at the hinged end thereof.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ROBERT HEAD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

